The Role of Computer-aided Design (CAD) in the Tech Pack Template

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Technology plays a significant role in the fashion industry. It spans many areas in the industry from fashion design to clothing manufacturing. Fashion design is renowned for innovative and diverse creations, and the use of software presents a new and fresh element to how clothing is made.

It is true that most designers still prefer to put the initial sketches on a piece of paper. However, many now translate those outlines into digital formats. New software allows individuals to unleash their full creative potential and experiment with colours, shapes and sizes.

What is computer-aided design (CAD)?

Computer-aided design (CAD) is defined as the use of computers to design objects. However, CAD can do more than produce naked shapes. CAD software technology capable of creating objects in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) space. Depending on your requirements, it can also include measurements, provide information about the materials, tolerances, processes and other symbolic details.

The main advantage of using such ‘computer simulations’ includes bringing down the production costs, and speeding up the design production cycle. Pens and pencils retain their importance in fashion design. However, the convenience of copy-pasting, reshaping and creating overlays of the original drawings add a higher level of detail for efficiency.

The use of CAD in clothing manufacturing

In many fashion apprenticeships and degree courses, traditional methods of design are still taught but with a digital infusion. This blend of artistry flair and technological innovation is improving the translation of fashion design to the manufacturing phase.

Embracing software and its contribution to the fashion industry is assisting both fashion designers and clothing factories. The technology helps in many areas including initial specifications through to print, pattern and final product production.

Clothing design software is also pivotal in making garments to specification. This type of software also contributes to the tech pack template in the design phase. The use of design applications enables fashion brands to recreate realistic drawings. These illustrations show exact pattern requirements such as seams, print placement, fabric cuts and colour.

There are many business benefits of using design software for fashion designers too. Take a look below:

Saves time in the design process - Software can streamline design and production time. This enables small businesses to work quickly and more accurately to save costs.

Reduces errors - Designs can be easily interpreted to reduce the margin of error or miscommunication between brand and factory.

Relatively simple to learn - Fashion design software is easy to implement, and there are many courses available to improve your skills.

As explained in our article: How To Make a Tech Pack, you can see the process behind the first fit sample. This planning process is essential to get right and communicating your exact specifications can prevent costly errors.

The future of clothing manufacturing

The advancements in technology and its integration into the fashion industry is continuing to make waves across the sector. Every aspect from retail through to factory processes is seeing notable changes in the way software is handling everyday tasks. One of the significant benefits for the sector is the introduction of automation.

Fashion design software is making it possible to speed up processes that were once laborious and time-consuming. There have been negative elements to automation due to the replacement of people in some roles. But in fact, the benefits generally outweigh these points. In many sectors, individuals can be retrained in other areas to improve their skills in different niches in the fashion sector.

Change is inevitable in any industry. The leaps in design and technology are making it easier to take clothing from ideas through to production more efficiently. To support this innovation, Sewport provides a simple yet effective way to connect with clothing manufacturers across the globe. The platform also provides resources such as a Tech Pack creator, terminology list and fabric calculation toolbox.

Creating an account is simple, and you can share your designs and ideas with clothing manufacturers in a few easy steps. You can also find suitable industry experts to help translate your ideas into digitised designs, and take advantage of the experience and knowledge of a CAD designer.

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About the author:

Boris Hodakel is the founder and CEO of Sewport - an online marketplace connecting brands and manufacturers, former founder of various clothing manufacturing services. He is passionate about e-commerce, marketing and production digitisation. Connect with Boris on LinkedIn.